FAQ

You are always welcome and encouraged to contact me by phone or email with any questions, but below are some frequent questions I get that may save you a little time.

Q: Do you supply gear?
A: Yes. If you have your own wading gear and/or rod that you’d like to use, please do. If not, I have a full size run of waders and boots, plenty of rods, and I always take care of terminal tackle such as flies and tippet.

Q: Where do we meet?
A: It depends on where you are staying and where we’re going. We will always communicate beforehand and I’ll select a convenient meeting place based on that info.

Q: Where should we stay?
A: It depends where you want to fish. Townsend and Gatlinburg are located near destinations in the mountains but will be a little less convenient for someplace like the Clinch. If you’re uncertain, give me a shout ahead of time and I’m happy to make recommendations.

Q: Do we keep the fish?
A: The short answer is no. This is not a “charter” where the object is to fill the cooler. I encourage catch & release, but as long as you provide a way to store and transport your fish on the stream and in the vehicle, and it is legal to do so, you may.

Q: What kind of license do I need?
A: Refer to the Licenses page on this site.

Q: What if it rains?
A: We go fishing. Rain often makes for better fishing. Refer to Policies & Restrictions under Booking & Rates for more details about when and why trips might be cancelled.

Q: Do people always catch fish?
A: Two words that don’t exist in fly fishing are “always” and “never.” There are a lot of factors from weather, to destination and species, to the angler’s skill level that determine that. But people usually catch fish.

Q: Will we see any bears?
A: On the carp flats? No. In the mountains? Maybe. Bears are rarely seen on guided trips but are always a possibility, particularly on backcountry trips.

Q: Do you take kids?
A: Yes, but not under the age of 10.

Q: How many people do you take at once?
A: One or two people, though never randomly paired. If you book a trip for one person, your day is your day. I won’t put a stranger with you. If you have three or more people, I can often get additional guides to accommodate larger groups.